New music series created

Republican photo by JOHN SUCHOCKI Lawrence D. Picard, director of music ministries at South Congregational Church in Springfield, will be among the organists performing in "Phantasmogoria: A Halloween Organ Concert" on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at the church at 45 Maple St.

Music lovers in the Springfield area can take advantage of a new music series featuring a variety of musicians in different locations.

CityMusic Springfield! is the joining together of the former Mattunes House Concert Series and special events at South Congregational Church.

The season will include a variety of programs from Halloween-themed organ music to flamenco dance and guitar.

“I want to get into as many different genres as possible that you wouldn’t normally find on a weekly basis in this area,” said Lawrence D. Picard, director of music ministries at the Springfield church.

The series’ “Phantasmogoria: A Halloween Organ Concert” will be presented Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. in the church at 45 Maple St. by Peter Beardsley, Monica Czausz, Grant Moss, Larry Schipull, Eugenia Sullivan and Picard.

All of the musicians are members of the Springfield Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

They will take turns at the console playing music that includes the “Toccata and Fugue in D minor” of Bach, the “William Tell Overture” and the “Dracula Suite” of Janet Linker.

“We’ll be playing music that you would find in a scary movie or something comical — nothing boring,”

Picard said. Picard said the church will be decorated and there will be treats for the kids.

Anthology, a Boston-based all-women quartet, takes the stage at the home of Nancy and Bruce Urbschat in Springfield’s Forest Park neighborhood on Nov. 21.

The series picks up again Feb. 13 at the church, where Picard, Moss and Schipull present “Keyboards, Keyboards, Keyboards.”

Using an organ, piano and harpsichord, the three musicians will challenge themselves in ways that are sure to delight the audience.

In April, world-famous performance artists Aaron Larget-Caplan and Conja Abdessalan will put on a Flamenco dance and guitar show. The event will be held at Kimball Towers, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the former Kimball Hotel.

The series will wrap up for the year in May, where Hillarie O’Toole and Matt Meers will perform a hot cabaret act called “You Go to My Head.”

The show, in the atrium of the Classical High Condominiums, will feature wide-ranging music from Broadway, Frank Sinatra, Madonna and Bare Naked Ladies.

Picard said it was his intention to offer the performances in a variety of intimate settings.

“You get to be closer to the performer — it’s a casual sort of thing so the performers and audience can interact,” he said. “And, they don’t need amplification if it’s in a house, so you get a good sense of their true sound.”

Admission to the performances is a free-will offering, so everyone can have access to them regardless of financial means. Picard said there may be a charge, to be announced, for the season-ending cabaret.

For additional information on the series, including dates, times and locations of all performances, or to make a donation, visit www.sococh.org.